Cherry Tree
by FruitPastilles
Summary: These things just happen. Sakura had a normal life for seventeen years, but then after moving to Fire country, everything heats up. Can our girl figure out what's happening, or will she choose the wrong side? SakuraxMulti Summary changed.
1. Chapter 1

Cherry Tree

Summary: "What the hell are you going about?" she snarled, "Ninjas, demons, Akatsuki, Orochimaru, I'm just a normal girl, who goes to a normal school for _normal_ people!"

"Then how did you make that hole in the wall?" SakuxMulti

Chapter 1

_The pencil was dragged slowly and carefully down the page, clear deft strokes. Soon a pink tree appeared on the smooth white parchment, clashing with the browns and greens that surrounded it, of the trunk and empty fields for miles around._

_Beneath this tree was a girl, pink hair unmatched apart from the tree swaying above her in the non existent wind._

_The pencil was lifted as vivid emerald eyes peered upwards, towards a face that held towards her a hand._

"_Who are you?" was whispered silently, the words whipped away by the breeze, lips barely moving, "Why are you here?"_

_The face crinkled, ready to speak, "I am _Sakura!"

_Large eyes blinked slowly, lips forming around the word, _"SAKURA HARUNO!"

"_Thank you…for finding me,"_

"GET UP!"

Sakura shot up in her bed, awakening from her reoccurring dream. But it was so silent, so common, she deliberated it was actually a nightmare. Blinking bleary eyes, she only just noticed a platinum blonde haired girl, standing with hands on hips at the end of the bed.

The girl huffed, with hands on hips, and without paying attention to the bedraggled Sakura; she pulled a phone from her pocket, and asked in a deadly tone, that one could describe as sickly sweet, "Do you know the time, Sakura?"

The only answer was a few slow blinks of surprise, "Bedtime?" was stupidly asked, the bright light creeping in from the corners of the curtains destroying this option as soon it came to mind.

"No," the other girl was patience, though it could be shown wearing thin, as he hand clenched tightly around the piece of plastic and metal in her hand, "It is seven forty five,"

Sakura sat up groggily, a painstakingly slow movement, the knuckles of the hand turning white at the next answer, "Why is seven forty five a bad thing?"

The girl turned white, but anger burned furiously in her bright with intelligence eyes, "Sakura," she hissed through glued together teeth, "Please do _not_ tell me that you have inadvertently _forgotten_ that _today_ is the _first _day back at school, and that said building will close it's gates to late students in the next _thirty minutes!?"_

"Ino. This is very serious, and I'll have to admit at the stake of my physical well being that, yes, I have forgotten,"

"Sakura. You BIG FOREHEADED MORON!"

Breakfast…

"Geez, Ino, did you have to throw your phone so hard?"

"You would have probably stayed in bed the whole day if I didn't. You should be happy it made you fall out,"

"But it dented my head!"

"The largeness of you forehead should cancel it out anyway,"

Sakura grit down her teeth in annoyance, slamming a plate onto the kitchen side, "You know that involves issues, Ino-pig, I suggest we don't get in to too much depth or we'll be late,"

Before said pig could reply to the obvious insult, Sakura grabbed a bag and said, "It's eight already. If you can't power walk, I suggest you don't bother coming to school,"

Walking towards the door, she picked up a thick A3 pad, and tucked it securely under her arm, and still fuming from the comment meant to anger her, opened the door, and slammed it nastily behind her, muttering obscenities under her breath as she walked.

Ino sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter, "I should've told her the clocks were supposed to go back an hour today. Well, at least she'll be early for once in her life,"

She picked up a mug of black coffee, grimaced at the smell of it, and poured it down the sink, before placing it next to the plate Sakura had slammed down onto the side, and broken.

Picking up the individual shards, Ino rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "Why did I get stuck with her anyway…?"

With Sakura…

"Stupid Ino," she spat out, waving her arms and art pad about her head in annoyance, "She's just a blonde pig, a stupid idiot, a…and I'm lost…" she stopped, staring at an unfamiliar road sign, "I knew we should've stayed in Lightning Country!"

She threw her bag onto the floor, sat on it, and pouted angrily. After a while, she flipped her art pad open, and tugged a pencil out from behind her ear. If you were wondering, she fell asleep with it.

She tapped her bottom lip with the end of the pencil, staring at the picture that appeared in her dreams, before looking at the side of it, where the dark eyes and stretching hand were reaching from the paper.

She rested her head on her left hand, chewing her little finger, in a pouty manner, "Why me?"

She flipped over a page, and frowned. The picture was the same but in charcoal. The next water colours. All fifty pages of the art pad were covered in the same pictures. Sakura sighed.

She flipped it gently shut, and forced herself to her feet, stretching her arms, glaring at the morning sun, "Why'd you go and have to make it morning by moving, stupid sun?" she cursed it in a yawn, when an amused chuckle told her,

"It's not the sun that moves, it's the Earth,"

Sakura blushed a deep crimson, as her unknown company made itself known, and stuttered over her words, tongue twisting itself, "W-well, its just t-that I'm t-tired the sun woke me up a-and its mocking me while I'm lost,"

"Ah. Are you maybe by chance trying to find your way to Konoha High of the Arts?"

"Yes!" Sakura breathed out a sigh of relief, "Could you show me?"

"I could, but I won't," was said, but at Sakura's crestfallen face the person continued, "I'd be more than happy to escort a lady such as yourself to exactly the same place I am going,"

Sakura's smile lit the sky, as she slung her backpack over her back, "Thank you so much…?" she trailed off, hoping for a name.

"Sasori will be fine,"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Sakura Haruno! What's your art?"

"I'm carve and create puppets, and also manage them in the drama club,"

"So you're not a first year?"

"No, I'm a senior. What are you doing in Konoha HA?"

"Oh, me and Ino have the scholarship art thingy, but Ino's like super rich anyway. I'm doing painting and drawing and music and singing, and she's doing the beauty and nail and dancing and drama thing. We're both new!"

"You draw?"

"Uh-huh!" Sakura said, really excited and hyper, dropping her bag unceremoniously, and Sasori's eyes were drawn to the noise of the bag dropping, when he noticed something he hadn't noticed before.

Sakura was wearing shorts that only reached to mid thigh, and her long petite legs just seemed to stretch for an age before they reached sandals.

"Here!" she exclaimed, showing him her picture in a happy manner, almost smothering his face in the pages.

He held the pad at arm's length, eyes trailing over every finer detail. Handing it back he smiled, "It's nice,"

"SASORI!"

Sakura was pushed out of the way as the red head next to her was tackled to the ground. She stumbled off the curb, and crashed into someone's chest. Looking up she gasped out loud, making the two on the ground stop what they were doing.

"Wow!" Sakura squealed, pulling back and pointing, "Blue hair, you have _blue_ hair!" she rummaged in her bag and pulled out a smaller A4 pad, but before she put pen to paper, she asked seriously, "Can I draw you?"

"Sure. I'm Kisame, person I don't know,"

"I'm Sakura! Could you do me a favour and sit down? Your too tall for me,"

Before the lead could colour the page, a hand dragged her up from her cross legged position and shouted "Your really pretty, un! I've decided your gonna be my wife!"

She turned suddenly vibrant to cold eyes at him, "_"Don't mess with my muse!"_

Silence, "DEFINITELY MY FUTURE WIFE, UN!"

Sakura pulled out, and placed the pencil to paper, sketching out the outline, when something hit her, "I'm gonna be late for school!"

"No your not, don't worry, we have at least another hour," Sasori told her.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched, and she pulled out her mobile phone, "Note to self" she muttered, typing it in, "Kill Ino when and if I get home,"

"If?" Kisame questioned, and Sakura turned a breath taking smile in his direction, "I don't normally get home until one in the morning, because I'm too busy doing something or another, but it might be different here because here isn't Lightning Country"

"She came from Lightning Country, so cool, un!"

Sakura twitched angrily, "Who is the annoying person so I can blind him with masking fluid?"

"I'm Deidara, un!"

"_The_ Deidara?" Sakura suddenly asked, eyes wide in disbelief, excitement shining through, "The clay artist? Is it true your figures of figurines don't last for more then five minutes, huh, huh? Can I watch one day?"

"She knows me! My future wife knows me, un!"

"Geez Sakura, barely half an hour and you've already had someone after you,"

"…So, Kisame, can I continue drawing you?"

"There's somebody there you know,"

"Is there? I only see a blonde pig,"

"You forgot you paints,"

"What?" Sakura whirled round, and sure enough saw the case. She pouted, "Fine, I'm sorry, can I have my paints?"

"Can you say it seriously?"

"…I have enough money to buy new ones, it doesn't matter," Sakura tucked a lock of waist length hair behind her ear, tapping her foot in annoyance, but it worked, and the case was thrown at her, as Ino flipped her ponytail, "I'll see you in the next three weeks. Maybe,"

"Where are you going?"

"Letting you have the house. I'm moving into the dorms," Ino smirked victoriously at Sakura's face before saying, "I promised…"

"STOP!" she screeched at the platinum blonde, "We have an unspoken vow," then she zipped her lips, and stomped off, before returning and unzipping, "Um…Sasori, could you show me the way?"

"Yeah,"

"Thanks!" she chirped happily, linking her arm with his, not noticing the dusting on his cheeks. Deidara did though, and grabbed Sakura's hand shouting, "WHERE'S THE NEAREST CHURCH, UN? WE NEED TO GET MARRIED!" before running of with her.

"What's the legal marrying age of this country?" Ino asked Kisame who was pushing himself off of the floor, and looking at the quick sketch of himself, "Sixteen,"

"Sakura's not allowed to get married,"

Kisame threw the A4 pad at her, quirking a brow, "And why ever not?"

"Long story,"

"Long walk," he countered.

Ino sighed, "Ok. I know who you are _Akatsuki,_ and Sakura happens to be _Konoha's_ possession, not yours,"

"Oh really. I don't think anyone really cares, as long as we get what we want"

"Just let me tell you this, stay away from her, or I'll make sure I personally castrate you,"

"Ooh, harsh." The blue haired boy disappeared. Sasori was long gone.

Konoha HA… (HA is abbreviated of High of the Arts)

"'Kay everybody, new semester, new student, common rule," the teacher said, waving a book in his hand, "Be kind to her, she's a scholarship winner, so she won't be a rich person like most of you. Sakura, you can come in now,"

"One moment!" was called from the doorway, "Deidara, let go! Don't you have a lesson?"

"But Sakura-chan, un,"

"Let go!"

"Come on Deidara, Itachi is waiting,"

"Noooo~! Don't separate me from Sakura-chan!"

There was a giggle, and Sakura entered the room, with a quick wave, "Hey guys. Names Sakura Haruno, I'm seventeen, enjoy art and stuff. Let's be friends!"

Apart from her short shorts and sandals, the baggy shirt she was wearing was covered in blotches of paint, and was so long, if you hadn't known about the shorts, you probably would've thought that she was only wearing that shirt.

The teacher also thought this, "Sakura-san. You need to wear something under that shirt,"

She frowned, and flipped her shirt up, "I am though, teach. See? Shorts!"

_Perverted thoughts, perverted thoughts, perverted thoughts!_

Was all that screamed in the teachers head, before he was hit by a large fan, "Kakashi-sensei, don't have perverted thoughts about the new student!"

But instead of getting angry Sakura giggled, "This place is amazing!" she soaked in the class, and her eyes widened.

She dropped her bag, and rummaged, pouting angrily, before something was thrown through the doorway, "PACKAGE FOR SAKURA!" it was her pad.

"Yay!!" she cried in delight and faced the teacher, "What period is this?"

"Free. You just talk and mingle and whatever,"

"Yes!" she jumped in a twirl, and leaving her bag at the doorway, weaved further into classroom, case and pad in hand. Reaching her target, she tapped her foot, cocked her head, and whispered to herself.

Aqua eyes trailed her journey back across the classroom, as she asked the teacher for A3 paper, which he happily gave, a red blush peeking over his mask.

She said her thanks, and returned to where she was, sitting cross legged on the desk in front of the person.

"Hi!" she greeted enthusiastically, waving her left hand, the right skilfully undoing the many latches on the case, "I was wondering, could I draw your face?"

"…No,"

"Huh?" her face fell, and her bottom lip fell, "I…I can't draw your face? You remind me of a friend I haven't seen in years" her green eyes turned watery, and the case fell shut from her now limp fingers.

"But…but…" she began, "What did I do wrong?"

It sounded as if she had been given a death sentence, "What did I do wrong this time?" she asked again, desperation in her voice, but she let it drop, falling from the desk, and ready to walk away, when a hand grabbed her wrist.

"…Be quick,"

She changed faster than the speed of light, turning teary to happy, to suddenly serious in a scary manner. She dragged a chair over and asked, "Charcoal, pencil or watercolour? Maybe even palette paint…" she deliberated, and nodded, emptying her case.

The case unfolded into an easel, and she set it to the right height for her stature.

She got out a large variety of coloured paints, and a classic, well kept wooden palette, and squirted out several high quality paints onto it.

Dipping in a fine paintbrush, she quickly painted out the face she wanted, but when she got to the eyes, her hand froze, and she glanced to the person. He wasn't looking at her.

She frowned nastily, and lightly caught his chin with delicate fingers, turning his face, and leaning close to see his eyes. She flipped open her full A3 pad, and flicked through the pages, ignoring the look of anger in the eyes.

Sakura glanced vehemently at the eyeless painting, and glared at the eyes on her page. With a cry of frustration, even with a picture the best artists would be envious of, she threw her palette on the table, and sat down heavily on the chair, attempting to draw out the eyes on the A4. She didn't realise she had an audience.

"No, no, no, NO!" she fisted the paper into a ball, and crossed her arms, laying her head in them, "Why won't it go right?!"

"Sakura-san?" the teacher had walked up, "Is every- wow, that's a nice painting of Gaara-kun,"

"It isn't right! Normally it will show itself when it needs to be drawn, but it won't happen!"

She tapped fingers, and thought of another approach, "If I try charcoal, it might bring out the shadows around his eyes out more, but the paint might smudge his pale skin grey,"

She smacked her head over and over, until the teacher stopped her, "It might not be a good idea to give yourself concussion,"

She nodded, and picked up the thinnest piece of charcoal she had, pressing it with the barest of pressure on the paper. She sketched quick oval shapes, smudging the eyes around the edges.

Turning to her palette, and holding her paintbrush asked with a murmur, "Eye colour?"

"…Aqua,"

"Aqua, a really nice colour. Reminds me of the ocean," Sakura smiled in memory, rummaging through the paints, she frowned angrily, not seeing where it was, but noticing it at the same time as her model.

They both reached, and for the barest of seconds, their fingers brushed, before a slightly larger pale hand passed her the required colour, "Thanks," she breathed, "I don't think I caught your name,"

"Sabaku no Gaara,"

"Suna?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"Business trip," was all she said, dabbing the paint brush into the shapes marked for eyes, "I met your dad. I was apparently going to get stuck into an arranged marriage with someone called 'Kankuro'"

Someone spluttered, "You're the dirty little minx that Kankuro liked, but you sent him to the emergency room? High five girl!"

Sakura turned, seeing a girl with dirty blonde hair, "Who are you?"

"Your would be sister in law, but was rejected,"

"Tem-chan?"

"Then that means…it is Cherry-chan! Your hair has grown by miles!"

"Which means," Sakura turned to the boy she had been painting, "Panda-kun! How could I miss it?"

Temari caught her from behind, "I haven't seen you in ages! How are your folks? You didn't tell me about them at all last time, you ran away,"

"T-That's a no go subject," Sakura explained, a hint of a stutter, and unfathomable sadness in her voice. Temari didn't press on the subject, when the bell went.

"I have geisha class now," she admitted, "My mum wanted me getting into something girly, so I'll see you later, Sakura-chan,"

"Ok! I have…my proper art class now, with senior help…" he fair skin turned paler, "Ah…Deidara-sempai,"

Temari nudged her shoulder, "What happened with him?"

"Apparently he said I'm gonna be his wife,"

A chilly aura erupted from behind, "A-Ah, Gaara," Sakura said, shivering, and hefting her painting of him under her arm, "Your scaring me, what have you got next?"

"Art…and a sempai's death…"

Sakura backed off, and exited the room, while Temari tried to calm the death imminent Gaara.

She accidently bumped into someone, getting knocked over. The palette she held out of habit in her hand, flew through the air, and landed with a nasty splatting noise against someone.

She dropped her case in horror, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she pulled out what looked like a paint stained second shirt from her bag, and dabbed nervously, the vivid and quickly drying colours the only thing she could see.

"Ah! Damnit, these are the quick drying paints, they're gonna stain," she spat lightly on the shirt, and fisting the soiled jacket in her hand, rubbed the yellow spot that she was sure was smirking at her.

Finally when the yellow disappeared, did she stand up. And shriek in fright.

Glaring full force at her was a boy about her age but taller, black hair and black eyes with hints of red.

She shivered under his doom stare, and tried to inch around him. He followed, but when she caught sight of blonde hair, she called in relief, "Deidara-sempai!"

When the person turned in the direction of the shout, she found it wasn't who she had previously thought it was, "Oh…Sorry, your not who I thought you were,"

A hand fisted in her collar, "How do you know a member of Akatsuki?"

"I ran into Deidara-sempai this morning with Sasori-sempai and Kisame-sempai when I wanted to draw him!"

"Hey, Sasuke!" A loud cheerful voice shouted, "Who's your friend?"

Sakura was dumped on the floor, and the boy named Sasuke 'tch-ed' wiping his hands on his trousers, as if he had touched something disgusting, "Well since you yelled my name as loud as you could, she's probably just another fangirl,"

Something in Sakura snapped at the blatant disregard of her being. She pushed to her feet, reached on tiptoes, and with an echoing sound, she slapped the proud Uchiha in the face.

Hotly breathing, she hissed like a wild cat at him, picked up her case and now paint covered shirt, before fleeing down the hallway, overly large shirt flapping, pink hair trailing behind.

"What did I say?" the other blonde asked, arriving at Sasuke's side, noticing the red mark, "What did she _do?"_

"…She hit me…across the face as hard as she could,"

"I like her! Hey, Gaara, nice to see you…why do I feel as if I'm being murdered with your eyes?"

"The pink haired girl. Where is she?"

"Why?"

"I'm going to kill Deidara-_sempai,"_

"What did he do?"

"…Wanted to marry Sakura,"

Art class…

Deidara shuddered, his hands holding the clay turned limp, when there was a timid knock at the door to the empty room. Class wasn't supposed to be full for another five minutes, so whoever had arrived had run, or had had a class next door.

Sakura slammed the door in, muttering obscenities under her breath, smacking her case on a table, and drawing a chair with an ear splitting screech so she could sit on it.

She slapped her pad on the desk, and hacked nastily at it with a pencil, until Deidara snuck quietly up behind her, "SAKURA-CHAN, UN!"

She reflexively screamed and span around, Deidara darting forward to catch her. The lump of clay half resembling a bird made a wet splat on the ground. After that there was a deathly silence.

"U-u-u-u-uh Deidara-sempai," Sakura stuttered, "Y-y-y-y-you can let me go now,"

"I don't want to, un," he purred in her ear in his new position of holding her tight around the waist, and just below her breasts.

"If you value your life, you would let go," a voice said from the doorway.

"Ino!" Sakura called out happily, "Wait. What do you mean?"

"I saw a redhead causing a literal sandstorm in the corridors, muttering to himself, 'gonna kill that goddamn Deidara, kill him in the most painful way possible' it wasn't pretty. Everyone moved away from him,"

"Panda-kun?" Sakura suddenly asked, a little too happily for Deidara's tastes, as she pulled with ease away from his now slack grasp, and poked her head out of the doorway.

"Who the he-" she was cut off as she was yanked out of the room in a noogie, "FIANCEE WHO GOT ME IN HOSPITAL-CHAN!"

"KANKURO! RELEASE!" Sakura screamed with all her lungs, "LACK OF LUNG USE IS STARTING TO _HURT!"_

Ino huffed, and rolled her eyes, retreating from the room. Deidara was left slumped against the table in the room, when Kankuro shouted in disbelief, "ARE YOU _NOT_ WEARING _ANYTHING_ UNDER THAT SHIRT OF YOURS?"

"NO! I'M WEARING SHORTS! YOU'RE THE _SECOND_ PERSON TO ASK THAT!"

Sakura stomped back into the art room, forgetting the squidgy clay in the middle of the room that Deidara had dropped to catch Sakura.

Her feet fell out from underneath her, eyes wide in confusion. She closed her eyes, waiting for impact of back on floor, or the worse option table, but instead encountered a chest.

"Your skinny, but your sure not a lightweight," a voice grumbled. She jumped back up in surprise, stumbling forward, her hands held forward for balance. Crashing into Deidara, she found out it wasn't him she had crashed into.

Looking around she saw a person, a boy, with hair in a ponytail, "Pineapple," Sakura blurted out subconsciously.

He looked shocked, and Sakura gabbled out apologies at fast speed, gesturing with her hands and saying randomly, "It's awesome!" at different intervals of speech.

By the time she had finished, there was a teacher at the doorway, and the boy was already fast asleep.

She took a deep breath, only just noticing she was leaning into Deidara's shoulder, not that the latter minded, but someone at the door did.

"Panda-kun!" Sakura sang happily, attempting to pull away from the blonde behind her, but he caught her from behind at the waist, nuzzling his cheek against hers.

She frowned at the close contact and lifting her slightly heeled sandal, stamped on Deidara's foot, laughing a tinkling sound when he hopped away cursing.

The teacher was smoking, and walked into the room, ignoring everyone as he settled at the desk, putting his feet up, and flipping a whiteboard around to show what was supposed to happen by the end of the lesson.

Sakura went back to where she had dumped her things and a cheery voice said, "You're sitting in my place ugly,"

The pencil in her hand snapped, "Ah, damnit. My best pencil," she stood up, whirled round, and was tugged into someone else's lap, "I'll get you a new best pencil, un, just don't beat up the teachers help, _as much as I want you to_" the last bit was murmured out of hearing. For Sakura anyway. Half the class turned to glare at him, and he smirked back.

Sakura went for clenching Deidara's right knee in her fist, darn near breaking it, but he was made of tough stuff.

She muttered curses under her breath, so foul and threatening that Deidara shuddered, partially from pain, partially from the fright of the pain the curses promised.

"Yeah, Sakura-chan, my knee cap might break, un, and we have a lesson to do," he told her, nudging her off, when he was the one that had tugged her down.

She pouted, "Where do I sit?"

"When I get my clay, my lap is still free, un," Deidara said cheekily, hand still on Sakura's arm.

She grabbed it, neatly twisted it back so it was folded against his body and sweetly said, "I prefer to stand when doing my art,"

Half the room, (coincidentally that was the guys) looked up, hearts in their eyes which went unnoticed by Sakura as she mimed the words on the whiteboard.

She unfolded the legs of her case/easel, and forgot the painting of Gaara that was still on it.

"_Ohmigosh!"_ someone screamed, "_She got to paint Gaara-kun, _sooo_ unfair!"_

Sakura jumped as she was pushed to the side, girls swarming around her picture, "Its so life like! And the real Gaara's over there, so it doesn't really compare to him, but it's great!"

She landed on her backside, arms splayed out behind her to keep her up, and she flinched, waiting for a ripping noise.

_Please don't let the paper rip, please don't let it rip._ She begged.

_RIP!_

"Ah! You broke it!" the accusing voices broke out, and Sakura face-palmed, her body wracking in what one would suppose was sobs.

Something poked her head, "Is this newbie dead?"

"DON'T TOUCH SAKURA-CHAN, UN!"

Sakura burst out laughing, "They ripped one of my bestest paintings _ever_ and I find it funny, innit great?" tears were streaming down her porcelain smooth face as she continued shaking.

Something else poked her, "Hello~? Earth to freakishly pink haired girl, Hello~,"

"Tobi, leave Sakura-chan alone!"

"Her name is Sakura? Kawaii!" Sakura was dragged into a side hug, and she heard jealous jibes, "Why is Tobi-kun hanging onto the newbie like that?"

"I heard she was a scholarship winner, she doesn't even have money to back her up,"

"Freak,"

Sakura's laughing stopped in a gasp of pain at the last word, "Sakura-chan?" the cheery voice named Tobi was unsure.

She shook her head, plastering on a fake smile, and pushing everyone away from her easel, violently yanking off the rest of the ruined paper, and sticking up a new piece. She chewed her lip, wondering what to paint.

Turning and pointing at Deidara, she pointed where she wanted him to go. He nodded trailing over, a small bird in his hand already. She caught sight of it, and the fake smile brightened considerably.

"When did you make that?" she asked amazed it had appeared so fast.

Deidara shrugged, "I can make them pretty fast, un,"

He placed it to the side, and dragged up a chair, sitting on it as Sakura's model. She tapped her bottom lip with a pencil, and shouted, "Sensei?"

"Hmm?" he looked up, "Yeah, pinky, what do you want?"

"In art class, what styles and equipment are we allowed to use?"

"Whatever you want,"

Sakura smiled brightly, properly, and looked through her large pile of supplies, "Pastel? Pen, pencil, charcoal, watercolour…"

She clicked her fingers, "Oil paints!"

Tucking the edge of her shirt into her shorts, she cleaned her palette of paint in the sink the room supplied, and squirted oil paints onto it.

She was about to put pen to paper, when a voice called from the doorway, "Sasuke! It's the girl that slapped you!"

She peeked around the canvas, and immediately squealed, a high pitched noise, "Are those_ whiskers?"_

She ran forward, but Deidara caught her arm and stated, "Sakura-chan is mine, un, so back off from what belongs to me and Akatsuki, yeah?"

_Akatsuki?_ She thought confused, but she was tugged sharply at the wrist. Her pupils dilated.

_The smell of smoke clogged her lungs, screams filling the air as the pitter-patter of feet ran down the smoggy hallway._

_Her foot landed in something sticky she didn't want to think about, and after light resistance, she kept on running._

_She turned a corner, and was met by a blast of immense heat. The flames licked the ceiling and crept along the floor. Vivid green eyes, sparkling with tears were dried instantly at the scorching temperature._

_A black shape turned to face her, "A little girl came. Are you the next to be killed?"_

_She shook her head, "M-Mummy told Sakura-chan not to talk to scary strangers, because they might hurt Sakura-chan," he voice was shaking._

"_Sakura-chan, huh?" _

_The voice made her stubbornness snap. She turned and attempted to run down the corridor, seeing the white patches where her bare feet had picked up the soot._

_A hand caught her wrist, "I'm not letting go, my little cherry. Not when I've finally caught you,"_

The tug on her wrist was harsher, and she screamed, "LET ME GO!" startling the class as she whirled around and punched Deidara square in the jaw, "DON'T KILL SAKURA-CHANS MUMMY!"

"_Besides, daddy isn't here to help you anymore, and mummy will join him. In heaven or hell, I really don't care, as long as you don't run away,"_

_Sakura planted her messy, bleeding feet hard on the ground, and tugged a futile effort against the grip against her. _

"_Please, d-don't hurt Sakura-chan," she stuttered, eyes filling with tears again, this time making tracks down her dirt face._

"_Why would I hurt you?"_

"_Because you k-killed Sakura's daddy, and Sakura's mummy,"_

"_But wasn't what _you_ wanted?"_

"_Why would Sakura-chan want Mister to kill Sakura-chans parents?"_

"_Remember back when you were four?" (A/N: Sakura is six here)_

"_No!"_

"_When you went into the forest out back when you were told not to, with your two year old brother,"_

"_DON'T TELL SAKURA-CHAN WHAT SHE ALREADY KNOWS! Sakura didn't mean for Daisuke to fall over. Sakura thought Sakura and Daisuke was having fun, but then there was red around Daisuke and Sakura, and Daisuke didn't move and Sakura was told off, and Sakura was called freak and nasty things from Sakura's parents…" she sniffed loudly, "Sakura was upset, not angry. Sakura would never wish for someone to kill Sakura's parents,"_

_A finger trailed her cheek, wiping away a tear, "Now, now cherry, don't cry like that,"_

At that moment someone wiped a tear away from her face, "DON'T TOUCH SAKURA-CHAN WITH YOUR FILTHY MURDERING HANDS!"

The hand flinched away from her face and she was suddenly back in the room, staring around at confused faces, and in once case a bruised face.

Sakura's head snapped around at a sudden ringing sound, and she focused on the ringing bell, brow furrowed.

"Sakura-chan, un?"

Her head whipped about again, bottom lip stuck out, before her features brightened, "Deidara-sempai! Why do you have a bruise?"

"I have a bruise, un!"

Sakura suddenly noticed the throbbing in her knuckles, put two and two together, and bowed heavily, "Sorry for hitting you!"

Deidara was startled but smirked, "I'll forgive you if you kiss it better,"

Gaara chose this moment to intervene, dragging Sakura over to Sasuke and the unidentified blonde at the door, "Denied," he snarled.

"Don't be a spoilsport, _Kazekage"_ Deidara smiled a maniac sort of gesture, "It's only a little peck, un"

Sakura suddenly cackled insanely, doubled over in laughter, "I hit him, I actually hit someone this time, oh gods,"

"_This time?"_ a voice hissed at the doorway, _"How many times, Sakura?"_

"I-Ino," Sakura greeted, laughter stopping short, voice breaking.

"_How. Many. GODDAMN TIMES?"_

"Eep! Five, I admit it was five. Or six…seven? I'm sure it was eight. Teen,"

"_Eighteen?!"_

"When you were at work," Sakura defended herself, "But this one was more vivid than the last…he _touched_ my cheek,"

Ino grabbed her shoulders, and forced her on a chair, "_Tell me"_ she hissed, in a command.

Sakura's eyes unfocused, "Fire. It was smoky, hot. He called me 'cherry'. Killed my parents because apparently I wanted it after Daisuke…" her voice faltered and she refused to say anything more.

Ino pulled her into a hug, "I'll never let them get you, Sakura, I promise, they'll have to take you over my dead body," she was glaring at Deidara while she said this.

Sakura curled up in on herself, "But why are they after me of all people. Saying I'll 'kill' or 'save' everyone with my strength, saying I'll save the ninja countries, I mean, what the hell?"

There was a sharp intake of breath at the door, and the blonde was suddenly babbling to Sasuke, the word, _Kyuubi,_ stuck in there somewhere.

Gaara caught the whole sentence at the same time, and his eyes widened in shock, before he and Naruto were dragged from the room by Kakashi, who bound them back to back with rope.

Sakura watched with wide eyes, "This is a scary school,"

Deidara snorted, "You think this is bad, wait until you meet Orochimaru, un, you'll probably have nightmares,"

"Now. That wasn't very nice,"

The voice made Sakura freeze up, and something touched her ankle. She almost feared looking down, and cursed herself when she did. Yellow eyes belonging to a snake stared back at her.

She fell off her stool.

End of the chapter

Phew! I thought it was going to be much longer, but I managed to finish. So you don't get confused much by the storyline, Everybody knows who Sakura is, but to not put her in a mental hospital they pretend _not_ to know her.

This happened because after being hit by a rogue jutsu, she was sent to another world, and lived an entirely different life from birth, except now everybody wants her because it increased her power exceptionally, and because of more feminine parts…well, you can guess the rest especially because of all the guys and all.

The italics in this chapter is when somebody, (Don't know who it is yet) broke into her house and killed her parents because they want what is best for her, and in all her violent six year oldness she decided to curse her parents.

She did this because her 'little brother' Daisuke fell over in the forest they were playing in, and since she was lost, Sakura couldn't get help for him in time. In actual fact you'll find out that he was _murdered_ and that it wasn't an accident.

Ja ne


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sakura blinked, yawned, and coughed on a mouthful of hair, sitting up fast.

"Sakura! Don't scare me like that!"

"Huh?" the room was too white to be her own. Too full of unknown people, "What's going on now?"

"You fainted after seeing that snake,"

"There was a snake?"

A fist smacked her hard on the head, "Baka! Don't do it again!"

"But what did I do wrong?"

Oblivious of her audience, Sakura threw her arms in the air in annoyance, chest bouncing, and when an unidentified boy with a dog fainted from extensive blood loss from a nosebleed did she realise.

"Bonjour?" she asked, a little mortified, arms wrapped around her middle at the large amount of eyes staring at her.

Eyes flickering about nervously, only the brightly coloured heads caught her attention, "Kisame-chan!" she called excitedly, "Deidara-sempai, Sasori-sempai, Panda-kun, Whisker-chan! You all came to see me!"

The blue haired boy twitched, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish, and 'Whisker-chan' stared before jumping up and down, a loud high pitched keening noise erupting from his throat.

Sakura caught sight of the clock, "Ah! I've got to get home. Was supposed to be half an hour ago, what is Tsunade gonna say?"

Ino whitened, "That was _today?"_

Sakura nodded, swinging out of bed a little shakily, declaring to a random person in the room, "You have orange hair, it is awesomeness," before walking out of the doorway, picking up her bag and case before this in an urgent movement, "See you in three weeks or in school, Ino-pig!"

But three seconds later she returned, phone opened, and facing Deidara, the question barely on her lips, when he flipped his own out, a beep signalling the number had been sent. She smiled happily, retreating from the room.

Sakura household…

"WHAT CAUSED YOU TO BE LATE?"

As soon as Sakura entered the room, the scream almost deafened her, and dropping her art supplies, and putting her hands in front of her face said in defence, "I fainted at school,"

There was a sigh, "Figures. See a hot guy?"

"No…Yes, but the snake made me faint, not a hot guy. Or the several that were present, not including that Sas-jerk!"

"How's your burn doing? Well, scar is more appropriate,"

"Itchy, infection hasn't set in this time,"

"Good, good. I'll leave some antibiotics and cream. And don't forget to rest more, since I heard Ino won't be about,"

"Hai, hai," Sakura waved her hand, getting crushed into a bosom by a hug, "And tell Jiraiya pervert I said 'hi'"

"Will do honey, will do," the front door slammed, signalling her exit.

Sakura wandered through the large living room, before flicking on a long movie, _Transformers_ and slouching onto the sofa. She hadn't realised she had fallen asleep, until she heard the clatter.

"I-Ino?" she asked fear in her trembling voice, before she cursed, knowing the Ino wasn't there. And with a panging feeling, she knew it. She was afraid of the dark.

There had been no need for her to have the lights on. The DVD, after rolling through the credits, had returned to the title screen and had replayed, already halfway through.

Sakura whimpered, curling up on her couch, when a hard lump hurt her thigh, where her almost non existent short pocket existed.

She thought about calling Ino, but she knew she would be unpacking, so she settled for the second number in her list.

"_Who is it, un?!"_

The voice was angry, "Uh, D-Deidara?" she cursed in her head at the stutter, and "I-It's me, Sakura,"

"_Sakura-chan?"_ there was the sound of a small explosion and metal connecting with metal.

"Is everything alright?"

"_Yeah, yeah, un, just hanging out with some mates. Can you wait a moment so I can put you on speaker, if that's ok, un?"_

"Y-Yeah, it's fine," Sakura stared pointedly at her clenched fist, pretending to have not noticed the movement in the dark corner.

"_So, what's the matter, un?"_

The voice was breathless, as another explosion sounded, louder and closer. Sakura could hear shouting, but she got straight to the point, "I know we've just met and all, but…but," her voice and hand were trembling. The background was suddenly silent, save for heavy breathing of many people.

"_But?"_ Deidara prompted.

"Could you maybe sleep over mine tonight, and maybe at least until Ino has finished settling in at the dorm? You can bring friends and movies. Snacks…" her voice broke off in a sob.

"_Sakura-chan?"_ the voice was worried, _"What's wrong, Sakura-chan? Shut up idiots, I can't hear her,"_

"Deidara," she whimpered, sniffling loudly, "I-I'm scared of the dark, there's no lights on, I can't see. I-I'm afraid that someone might try and get me like…like last time when they killed my parents,"

"_I'll be right there, with some company, un. You won't be alone for much longer,"_

"The front door is already open," she whispered down the mouthpiece giving him her address and he replied before the phone went dead.

The next ten minutes were the most gruelling in Sakura's life. There was a tap at the front door, and she had to swallow a scream.

"Sakura-chan? It's me and a lot of…_friends"_

If she noticed anything about the way he said the word friends, she didn't show it, but sat up slowly, not able to hide the trembling in her shoulders. The light flickered into life.

"D-D-D" she broke down, curling back up on the sofa, crying heavily tears streaming down her face. There was depression at the end of the sofa, and someone laid a comforting hand on her arm, another person petting her hair.

The one closest to her head said, "Its ok, Sakura-chan, un,"

And the one at her arm said, "Tobi will scare nasty things away from Sakura-chan,"

There was silence before someone said, "Chouji brought snacks," and the tense atmosphere broke as people shuffled into the living room, "Wow this place is huge~"

"Why did _I_ get dragged along, I'm her teacher!"

"Teme. If looks could kill, and yours probably could, I'm sure Itachi would be writhing on the floor in pain by now,"

Sakura was lifted gently into a seated position, so her head was resting against someone's shoulder, and she looked awkwardly over the back of the sofa, "You sure meant a lot," she said finally.

"You said I could bring friends, so I did, un. Want me to introduce?"

"Nah," Sakura stood up, stretching, "I prefer to ask and judge myself."

Rubbing her bloodshot eyes, she fluffed out her pillow hair, and started with the person nearest to her, sticking out a hand, "Sakura Haruno, awesome orange haired dude from before,"

"Pein. Nice to meet you Haruno-san,"

"Please," she giggled, "A friend of Deidara is a friend of mine. Sakura, or Sakura-chan,"

"Nice to meet you. Sakura-chan,"

She smiled, and glomped him, not noticing Deidara freeze up in horror, for her safety at being close range to a person like Pein.

He simply patted her back until she pulled away, and faced the next person. She frowned, "Hey. Are you the stuck up Sas-jerk I slapped?"

There was a twitch across the room, "SAS-JERK?!"

Sakura jerked her head, "Nope, he's over there," she stuck out her hand, almost poking him in the ribs, "Sakura Haruno, taller version of Sas-jerk,"

"Itachi Uchiha. Pleasure, Sakura,"

Sakura pulled back, and leant to the side, her green eyes suddenly wider in fear, but she shook it off, and offered her arms for a hug, which he grudgingly gave. Pulling away, Sakura admitted, "You remind me of the man that killed my parents, but you attitude is completely the opposite, so it isn't _that_ bad,"

She turned to another and said, "Pineapple-kun!"

"If this is a sleepover, can I sleep already?"

Sakura scowled at him, "I want your name, then you can have a guest bed, any seven of them but not the king sized bed, or pick a corner in the living room or dining room,"

"Shikamaru Nara. Troublesome girl," Sakura's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she hissed out, "I hate you more than Sas-jerk. Be happy that I'm kind enough to let you stay in my house _and_ not give you internal bleeding,"

Her little form was radiating and oozing pure hatred, and Shikamaru backed off into a corner ready to settle down with his sleeping bag.

Sakura flipped her hair over her shoulder and faced the next guy who was grinning creepily, "Hi, ugly,"

_SMACK!_

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU PIECE OF SH- TRASH!"

"Whoa! Calm down, un!"

Sakura sat heavily on the floor, "He insults me in my own house, after I invite him with a friend, and the best he can do is 'Hi ugly'? I should've stayed in Lightning Country," she bit her lip, until a hand was placed in front of her creased face.

Looking up, she saw the arm attached to a…a bi coloured man?

"Zetsu. A pleasure to meet you, Sakura-chan,"

She accepted the hand, and was hauled gently to her feet, Deidara hovering around for some bizarre reason. A sudden crash from the surround sound still playing _Transformers_ caused Sakura to duck down and scream with all the might her small lungs allowed for.

"Ah!" a voice said in front of her, and looking up she saw a mess of blonde spiky hair, and cerulean eyes, "Are you ok?"

Her hands were held over her ears.

"_Are you ok?"_ _the voice asked mockingly, as she shook the body of her uncle._

_  
"Not Sakura-chan's uncle aswell, why do you follow and kill Sakura-chan's relatives?"_

"_Because you want me to,"_

_Sakura's brow creased, "Why would Sakura-chan want that?"_

"_You heard it, didn't you?"_

_How could she miss the loud whispers from behind closed doors? The shouts of anger, the looks of horror, shame _hatred.

"_But they don't mean Sakura-chan harm,"_

_She says that, knowing it's not true. The pain in her ribs, the scars on her back, her sight puffy in her left eye._

"_Don't deny it, cherry. Just come with me, and everything will go away,"_

_She suddenly doubled over in pain, and comforting hands she hates to admit soothe her ran over her body, checking for the wounds, anything to have caused the agony plastered on her smooth innocent face._

"_Sakura-chan's burn still, hurts," she admits, the first tears gathering, and a clicking of shoes signalled someone's entry to the hallway._

"_Auntie?"_

"_What have you done? What have you done to my husband, your own flesh and blood, you little bitch?" was screamed._

"_Why is Sakura-chan the only one who can see the man that does everything wrong?" _

Sakura blinked, "When did I get on my feet?"

"I helped you up. Naruto Uzumaki by the way, number one lover of ramen, and future-"

A hand slapped over his mouth, "Sasuke Uchiha. Hitee of Sakura Haruno. Nice to meet you in person _without _getting hit,"

"Jerk," Sakura hissed, but shook his hand all the same. Making her way about the room, she was introduced to Chouji, Shino and Kiba, before meeting a person who swore a lot called Hidan, a man who enjoyed money, Kakuzu and a timid person called Haku with his bigger brother Zabuza. Gaara and Kankuro simply nodded in her direction, the latter waving madly as if he were possessed, while Kakashi was reading his novel.

Turning to the boy called Neji, her hand and smile faltered at the glare sent her way for some reason.

Sakura backed off slowly and murmured, "I'll make the popcorn,"

She was gone for a few minutes, and for those few minutes, since the kitchen was down the hallway from the large living room, the group split into two.

The Akatsuki faced the ninjas, kunai held out in defensive positions, the ninjas mimicking the movement, knowing they didn't stand much chance.

"Do you guys prefer butter or sweet?" a voice called from the kitchen to a clatter, "Damnit, can't r- WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?"

There was a loud crash, a yelp of pain, and a streak of white ran into the living room, crashing into Kiba.

"I am _so_ glad that knife was a butter knife. Itai, it's still bleeding,"

Gaara twitched dangerously, pupils thinning quickly.

"Mou, can someone come in here and reach the bandages for me?" Sakura ambled back into the living room, left hand clenched in right as blood started to seep through her fingers, "I'm horribly squeamish, and too vertically challenged to reach the first aid kit without endangering myself,"

They all just stood and stared until Gaara took a step forward, and Naruto tackled him with a look of concentration. At the stare from Sakura he chuckled and said, "Pillow fight?"

_Drip!_

"Ack! My hand" Sakura waved said limb about in pain, "It _stings,_"

Kisame sighed and hauled Sakura back into the kitchen, "Where are the bandages?"

With teary eyes, making her look like a cute kicked puppy, she pointed with her uninjured but blood covered right hand, "U-Up there," she sniffed.

Without an effort in the movement, Kisame brought down the bandages then admitted, "I can't tie them very well, I'll have to admit,"

"DEIDARA-SEMPAI!" Sakura cried, "KISAME-CHAN CAN'T TIE BANDAGES, CAN YOU HELP?!"

She took a step forward at this, forgetting the dropped pan that had fallen to the ground at her scream of the unidentified thing, and she stood on it, causing her to twist and fall over.

"…Your nails are digging into my shoulders, and it's really painful,"

"Deidara-sempai is here, un!"

Sakura pushed away, biting her lip at the searing pain in her left palm, and held the limb out behind her, with the half done wrappings to Deidara.

A tear leaked out of her eyes as it was tightened, but he finished it off with a bow. She smiled happily at him, just as the microwave tinged to signal the popcorn finishing.

"POPCORN!" someone screeched from the living room, "POPCORN!"

"URUSAI, NARUTO!"

Sakura edged away from the direction of the voices in horror, "I thought these people were sixteen. Or is it seventeen? Well, my age whatever it is,"

"He is…one of those don't worry, un,"

"BUT IT'S POPCORN!"

"_HOW DARE YOU! WHY DID YOU KILL MUM AND DAD?"_

_She trembled in her short, bloodstained nightdress, "But it wasn't Sakura-chan who killed Sakura-chan's uncle and auntie,"_

"_YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE HERE, AND COVERED IN BLOOD,"_

_Tears cut streaks across her cheeks, "But, but please don't blame Sakura-chan, the Mister killed-" blood flew across her face, causing her to blink in surprise._

"_Cousin-kun?" she shook his headless body, "Where did your head go, cousin-kun?"_

"_See, cherry. You've already forgotten their names,"_

"_But cousin-kun is cousin-kun to Sakura-chan, isn't he. She. He?"_

_She slumped to her knees, and shook the shoulders again, when a round thing rolled into her vision. The head. She picked it up, and placed it on his shoulders, "See, cousin-kun? Everything's better again. S-Sakura-chan fixed it. See?"_

_The head lolled off the shoulders and she replaced it, "Sakura-chan can fix it, so please open your eyes for Sakura-chan, cousin-kun,"_

_She repeated this action until the sirens sounded and a guiding hand on her arm lead her from the room, "But Sakura-chan can fix what Mister did," she said, trying to face her cousin, "Mister took your head off, but Sakura-chan can fix you like Sakura-chan fixes her doll!"_

"_Sakura," a gentle voice told her, "Your uncle, aunt and cousin are dead,"_

"_No!" she stamped her foot, "Sakura-chan will fix it!"_

"Sakura-chan? You zoned out, un" someone shook her.

"Sakura-chan can stick cousin-kun's head back on, Sakura-chan can fix him," she muttered eyes unfocused from her position of leaning on the kitchen counter, "But Mister was the one that broke cousin-kun,"

"SA-KU-RA, WE ARE PUTTING SAW III ON!"

"Not without me!" she called excitedly back, snapping out of it, and quickly pouring the popcorn into a bowl.

Living Room…

Sakura was curled on the couch, methodically munching popcorn, her head resting on someone's; she wasn't sure whose, shoulder, but she later found out it was Hidan.

The popcorn was halfway to her mouth when the woman on screen dipped her hand in acid to retrieve a key, and she shuddered, burying her face into the persons shoulder.

"What?"

"I know what's gonna happen next, and would prefer not to watch," her voice was muffled.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto said excitedly, attempting shadow puppets, and managing to make an armless dinosaur, "Look, look!"

She did out of habit, and eyes wide she saw the woman have her ribcage ripped out.

She screeched, and pressed the off button on the remote next to her hand.

The large clock in the corner at the same time made loud noises, deeming it midnight. She stared at it and said, "Who calls guest rooms? The master bedroom is _mine,"_

"I think we're all camping in the living room," Kiba said, ruffling Akamaru's head. (Sakura had had an _Ohmigosh_ and I quote, 'That puppy has to be the most _adorable_ thing on the face of this planet, can I have him?' It was glared at a lot for the next couple of hours, by both parties)

"Oh. Ok. See you all in the morning. Later in the morning," she corrected herself, and started pulling off her shirt even as she left the room, a bare back the only thing seen before the door to the master bedroom was slammed.

Sleeping bags were rolled out, and everyone settled down, kunai or weapon next to their hands, ready for an all out brawl if it ever happened.

Three AM…

Sakura woke up with a jolt, sweat pouring off in the bucket loads, heart hammering fast in her ribcage. She reached across the king-sized bed, hoping for the Ino lump, but she wasn't there.

Reaching to the other side, she found a torch, and flicked the switch, illuminating the room.

Shuffling out of the bed into slippers, she dragged the covers around her shoulders and staggered from the room, not caring that she looked like she'd seen or _was_ a ghost.

Flicking the torch over the many sleeping faces in her living room, not knowing they were all actually awake, she called out softly, "Is anyone awake?"

Nobody moved at first, but Pein made the first move. He slowly rolled over onto his front, and propped himself up on elbows, "Sakura-chan?"

She sighed in relief, "Pein-kun," she shuffled further into the room, and she pouted cutely, knowing fully well she was holding back tears, "I had…a nightmare, and normally Ino's here, but could I sleep with…well, everyone but with your permission?"

"…" Pein just used a hand to gesture her over, and she sighed in relief, stumbling in her large blanket in his direction, "I hope you don't mind being sandwiched," he murmured softly, patting a small space beside him, "But I think it's Deidara on your other side."

She fell to her knees, throwing her blanket out and laying it over herself, curling up between the warm bodies. Deidara, who was 'asleep', groaned lightly, and threw an arm over her waist.

Sakura couldn't sense it, but the room bristled. Somebody near her legs threw their own leg over hers, and she stifled a giggle, "This is really comfortable," she said quietly to Pein.

After a moment of contemplating, she all but whispered, "Can I hug you?"

"…Sure,"

She latched around his waist, not noticing the tightening of the one already around hers, and sometime during the night, a hand got caught up in her bubblegum locks.

Morning…

Sakura unattached herself from something, and stretched noiselessly, when her stomach lurched horribly. She then noticed she couldn't move. Arms were stuck at her waist, someone had tangled their hand comfortably in her hair so it could just slip out, and a weight was on her right leg.

Trying to remove the arms they just tightened causing her to gag. Pein who had woken up when she had opened his eyes, "Sakura-chan?"

"Waist," she gasped out, pain ripping through her stomach, "Get him off, please,"

Pein twisted the arms off none too gently, and kicked the leg off, and Sakura, nodding her thanks flew from the room. By now everybody had sat up in slightly sleepy confusion, when there was a retching sound and then someone cursed down the corridor.

Kankuro moved first, moving swiftly down the corridor, "Sakura?"

She staggered back into the living room, leaning heavily on Kankuro, her fair complexion a pastel white with a sheen of sweat. She reached the house phone, and with shaky fingers typed in a number.

"_Hai, hai,"_

"T-Tsunade," Sakura coughed, not noticing the recognition on the faces in the room, "I was wrong about the infection…please wait a moment," she dropped the phone where a screeching voice yelled, _"DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE THE HOUSE, DON'T YOU DARE, I'LL BE RIGHT OVER!"_

Sakura was back in the bathroom, Kankuro hovering about until Neji pushed him aside with a roll of his pearl white eyes, rubbing circles on Sakura's back, as she threw her empty guts up.

Finally standing, she dragged her hand across the windowsill finding what she needed in a tube, and giving a shaky grin asked, "Who is gonna rub this stuff on my ribs then?"

The two in the room gaped at her and as she picked up a pot of tablets, she stumbled into the middle of the room, rolling the tank top pyjama that reached just above her belly button up until it resembled a bikini, just covering her breasts. She was wearing trouser bottoms that matched.

"Whoa," Kiba said, rubbing his eyes, "Am I hallucinating, or is that one hell of a burn?"

"S-Scar," Sakura corrected him, "I've had it like this for eleven years. Infection sets in about once a month,"

She turned a dangerous colour again, and a basin was quickly set in front of her, connected to a concerned Naruto, "Are you gonna be ok, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura gave him a bright smile, the brightest she could manage in her state and said, "As long as MRSA doesn't set in again,"

"…Isn't that dangerous?" his eyes were teary; "Can't it kill you?"

"Nah, I'm tough," she patted his head, "I wouldn't die just after meeting a big bunch of cool and not so cool friends,"

"So," she said, holding the tube forward, "Who wants to make my scar better?"

Everyone froze, "Uh…" was the general answer, but Itachi took it gently out of her grasp, squirted some onto her scar, and massaged it gently in, moving away from spots that made her wince and dry retch in pain.

After she was given a glass of water by a pale hand, and looking up saw Tsunade had made her way in somehow, and already had a pill in her other hand, "How bad is it?"

"Sore," Sakura rasped out, her throat burning.

"The truth," Tsunade said, and Sakura flinched in pain as she brought in a lungful of air, "Agonisingly painful,"

Tsunade rubbed her temples, "How long has the infection been there for?"

"…Four days, six tops,"

Sasori inhaled sharply, _that_ was what he had been smelling. Sakura's skin was starting to rot.

_SMACK!_

"Do you_ want_ to die?" Tsunade screamed at her, tears streaming, "Do you?"

Sakura faced the side, a red mark on her face, "I'm all alone anyway. How long is it gonna take until _he_ comes for _you?"_

"If he was after me, I'm sure I'd be dead already. I care about you Sakura,"

"That's what they all said,"

"_Do you love Sakura-chan?" she asked, pointing to herself, a smile on her face._

_A person knelt to her height, "Of course we do sweetie,"_

_A drunken person staggered in the doorway, "Not me, I hate the bitch, and you know it's the truth,"_

"… _don't be harsh on the girl!" the name wasn't heard and she was pulled in a hug._

"…_! Don't touch that death trap!"_

_She was wrenched up by her ankle length hair, and something grazed the back of her neck, the cherry locks falling to the floor, "Everyone dies near her! Don't you get it? If we don't get rid of her, _we're_ next!"_

"_So you don't love Sakura-chan?"_

"_I don't! You're a disgusting monster!"_

"_Sakura-chan isn't a monster, is she?"_

"_YES! Why don't you drop dead?!"_

"_So you want Sakura-chan to drop dead?"_

"_YES YOU DISGUSTING FILTHY LITTLE GIRL!"_

"_But if you say nasty things to Sakura, Mister might come,"_

"Everyone around me dies," she whispered, hacking out a cough of blood, "What am I, a curse on mankind?"

Tsunade passed her the water, and Naruto still held the basin ready, "No, your not," by now the rest of the room had begun to move, making phone calls of various reasons why they wouldn't be in school.

The reasons varied from threats of bankruptcy to bribes.

"I heard you've had more memories back," Tsunade said, prompting the ill girl to swallow a tablet and taking a blood sample at the same time, and Sakura nodded.

"My parents, my uncle and aunt and I think foster parents. They cut my hair,"

"It certainly grew back," Tsunade joked, taking blood pressure, "What happened?" she was genuinely curious.

"They died of 'unnatural' causes,"

Tsunade froze, "How?"

Sakura went into a trance like mode and whispered, "Why can only Sakura-chan see Mister? Mister kills everyone who looks after Sakura-chan, even if they beat her,"

Tsunade moved slightly away from Sakura as she continued, "But Sakura tries to fix everyone, even cousin-kun, even though cousin-kun's head fell off, Sakura-chan can fix him,"

She suddenly coughed again, and threw up in the basin. She wiped her mouth, and looked at the clock, "School," she murmured, but somebody caught her around the waist, "Sakura-chan is staying in bed, un!" a serious voice told her, and even turning puppy eyes to Tsunade, she was shaking her head, agreeing with Deidara.

"Take responsibility Sakura, all these people are staying off school to look after you. Be happy,"

She slumped against Deidara suddenly breathless and she gulped in air, "Besides, the anaesthetic is already taking effect. You'll be numb or out in the next few minutes,"

Sakura gave the woman a half glare even as she packed up and left the room, "I'll be back with medicine best suited to whatever you've caught this time,"

All she got as reply was a croak of frustration.

Sakura hacked a cough, and pouted crossly, arms across her stomach, fiddling with Deidara's fingers on habit.

She noticed the ring he had on, and tugged at it, coughing harshly. She managed to remove it, messing about, and seeing the little insignia, deemed it worthy of her possession, slipping it on her ring finger a small smile dancing on her numb lips.

Yawning, her legs twitched, and she rested her head into Deidara's collar, but he gently pulled away and set her down in the cocoon of blankets, pillows and sleeping bags.

Time Unknown…

Sakura rolled over to the sound of hushed arguing, "Kakashi-sensei, you can't expect us to leave!"

"Sakura-chan is ill, and being around loud people won't help her recover any faster. It's safer if she picked a few people she wanted to stay and the rest should leave,"

"Don't go," she mumbled, rolling over with a wince, cursing her slurred voice, "I get better in large crowds and happy atmospheres, not sad and lonely ones,"

"See, Kakashi-sensei, she'll get better if we stay, even if Shino and Shika and Chouji have already gone,"

Sakura attempted to push herself up on shaky arms, cursing as she failed, and she was pulled up, "Thanks…Hidan is it?"

"Uh-huh,"

"Tobi can't believe that Hidan hasn't swore yet,"

Sakura went to stand, "Toast," she said to herself, dragging herself to the kitchen, when she was picked up bridal style, and placed back in the cocoon, "Where's the bread and you stay here,"

She chewed her cheek, but relented, "There's a big pot named 'Bread' you can't miss it. Toaster is next to the fridge. I don't want anything on it,"

She brought her knees to her chest and pouted, "I'm not a kid anymore, I can do these things all by myself,"

"But your ill," Naruto was suddenly sitting opposite her, with Kakashi in tow, "We have to look after you,"

"Hn," she mumbled, playing with the ring on her finger, tilting it so it could catch light, and moving it back again, "Deidara, where did you get this from?"

"A gift from Pein, un," his voice replied from the kitchen, "Why?"

"I want one…"

"…Seriously, un?" it was like he was holding back laughter.

"Don't blame me for anything I see, when I'm ill I'm delirious Ohmigosh a dancing banana,"

"…BWAHAHA," Kisame burst out in loud chuckles, the room slowly following suit. Sakura flinched at the loud noise, "Shh!" she hissed, "You might make Mister come out. He always does when I'm ill,"

"Mister?"

Sakura smiled crazily, "Mister kills everyone near Sakura,"

"He kills?"

"Only Sakura can see Mister,"

"And why does 'Mister' kill everyone?" Kakashi asked, visible eye narrowing, and Sakura threw a smile in his direction, catching him off guard, "Cause I'm his 'cherry'," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Except that Naruto started hissing.

"Naruto?" Sakura moved her head slightly to the side "Were your eyes always red?"

He pounced on her before anyone could so much as twitch, his face buried in her neck, nuzzling and inhaling her scent.

"Nice to meet you too," Sakura giggled, "B-But I'm ticklish, stop it," he ignored her, still nuzzling, a purr in his throat.

She attempted to push him off, but it only succeeded in getting him to rub his cheek against hers, a cheeky look on his face.

Deidara was inches from Naruto's collar when the boy said, "Pull me off, and you'll regret it,"

Sakura frowned, he didn't sound cheerful like he had before. She caught his head, and pulled his forehead against her own to see if he had a fever, not noticing the dangerous proximity of their lips. Naruto closed the gap, and in an instant had been kneed in the gut, halfway across the room.

"NO ONE KISSES SAKURA, SHANNARO!" she screeched at him, but gasping in the pain that followed.

"Shannaro?"

Sakura blushed, "It's an…_inside_ thing,"

"Tell me, un!"

Sakura played nervously with her hand, "Split personality,"

"Toast is done!"

At the same time, Sakura's ringtone of 'All outta love' rang really loudly from underneath her, and she quickly flipped it open, "Hello?"

"_WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! TSUNADE HAD TO TE-"_

Sakura flicked it shut, and curled up, gesturing everyone forward, "Can we make a huddle?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm tired, fear the wrath of Ino-pig, and want several life sized teddies to keep me warm," she said rolling over, grabbing the nearest persons legs, and dragging him down next to her, "And if someone breaks down the door, please kick them back out,"

"Sakura…You are cutting the circulation off from my legs," a voice, Sasori said.

"Then lie down over here," she growled half heartedly at him in a yawn, patting the space next to her, "And don't worry. I huggle, but I don't bite,"

Just as she was ready to close her eyes, the door was kicked in, "You hung up on me, BIG FOREHEADED BITCH!"

The snap in her was so loud almost everyone heard it.

"URUSAI! NO ONE CAN CALL ME BIG FOREHEADED EXCEPT DAISUKE!"

Ino's legs were dangerously close for her safety, so Sakura lashed out with her legs, kicked Ino's from underneath her in a vicious move.

At the same time something made a tearing sound, and a bloom of blood spread across her chest where her scar was situated.

"Ha, ha," she gasped in pain, shutting her eyes, and resisting the urge to place her hand over the wound, "Call T-Tsunade,"

"Shit, so much fucking blood!" a voice yelped, and her shirt was ripped violently up, a thick towel pressed against the wound.

Ino picked up the discarded phone, fingers quickly flashing, drumming on her thigh impatiently.

"_Who the hell is calling me as soon as I get back in my house?"  
_

Ino bit back a snappy retort and said as calmly as she could, "Sakura…" but the phone was ripped from her grasp, "YOU FUCKING HOKAGE MEDIC NIN, GET HERE RIGHT THIS FUCKING INSTANT, BECAUSE SAKURA IS FUCKING TURNING THE FUCKING FLOOR RED FROM HER FUCKING RIPPED OPEN SCAR!" Hidan screeched down the mouthpiece with all the force his lungs could muster.

"…" the reply was static, and he threw the phone against the wall.

"SHE FUCKING HUNG UP ON ME!"

Sakura snickered slightly, hand still pressed over the ones keeping the towel pinned to her stomach.

The room of people were only slightly surprised she was still awake from blood loss.

"Naruto!" a voice suddenly yelled.

"Sasuke teme!" was shouted back.

"SAKURA!" Sakura yelped, then noticed the looks sent her way, "I wanted someone to say my name," she pouted, fiddling with the quickly turning red towel, even though the pain had gone.

Everyone was either hiding in their hands, coughing, or desperately looking for tissues, and oblivious Sakura was still making the adorable face that made everyone want to ravage her.

The door which had swung back on its hinges from Ino's kick was whacked violently opening again, causing Sakura to jump, falling backwards on whoever was behind her.

The towel fell off, and her hand landed on her stomach with a sickened splat noise. She bit her lip in pain, a squeak making its way out the tiny gap, tears rolling down her face.

A hand landed on top of hers, and she looked up to see Kisame's concentrating face, "Sorry," he mumbled, and forced chakra in her hand.

Her head snapped back as her hand was enveloped in a green glow. Her eyes were half lidded, but the eyes behind were confused.

"Kisame?! What did you do?" Pein suddenly hissed in anger, seeing Sakura's discomfort.

"I nudged her," Kisame replied, "She can heal herself, but only if she has encouragement,"

Sakura was staring at the ceiling, feeling the strange sensation of flesh being sewed together without pain.

"Rawr means I love you in dinosaur," she murmured staring at the ceiling, "Did you know that?"

The wound had been sealed, but the scar was stubborn, making more than one person frown at it.

"Deidara?" Sakura continued, locking onto the blonde who forced a smile for her sake.

"Yeah, Sakura-chan?"

"Rawr…"

End Of The Chapter…

So…I hope you like, and goodbye for now…I guess.

Ja Ne


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

With a quick twist the hot water tap was off, and Sakura slowly lowered herself into the scalding hot water, sighing in relief when her skin adjusted to the high temperature.

It was three days after the incident and confession, and with a little _friendly_ persuasion, the only people left were Tsunade, Ino and Deidara, because Sakura had thrown a hissy fit when she was told Deidara might have had to leave.

There was a knock on the door, "Remember, it's not allowed to be ho-whoa! It's a sauna in here!"

Sakura snorted, reaching for her strawberry and cream shampoo, squirting a fair amount into her hand, smothering it into her hair, "It's my choice whether I want a hot bath or not, baa-chan,"

"B-But," Tsunade had no reason for Sakura to not have a hot bath and after a cry of frustration slammed the door behind her as she left.

Sakura splashed her feet in the water, wincing as a few drops landed on her face and caused pinpricks of pain, when there was another knock.

"Come in," Sakura called, pulling the curtain across, so only a sliver was left showing to the world.

Deidara nervously pushed the door open, "I-I need a hairbrush, un,"

"It's on the windowsill," Sakura replied, washing the shampoo from her hair, "And while your there, can you pass the pink conditioner?" she held a hand out from behind the curtain, and after a few seconds a bottle like shape was pushed into her palm.

"Thanks," the curtain was yanked shut again. There was a pregnant silence before Deidara said, "I'm done, un, so, uh, see you when you get out, un,"

"See you in an hour or two," Sakura's shadow waved from behind the curtain, wisps of smoke creeping from her bathtub.

Two hours later…

Sakura crashed out of the bathroom, eyes wide, bathrobe tight around her body. Sasori, when he came back about an hour into her bath, looked up with Deidara and Ino. Tsunade had had to go to her hospital shift.

Sakura took one look at Sasori and screamed, "I KILLED YOU!"

Pointed at Deidara and screeched, "You killed panda-kun!"

And eventually turning towards Ino shouted, "And you have a freaky mind power!"

The two male occupants of the room froze but Ino shook her head, "Did you fall asleep in the bath and have a nightmare?"

Sakura broke down, sobbing, falling to her knees, flashes of her nightmare passing her eyes, "Katsu," she whispered under her breath, staring at the floor, with shrunken pupils, and large eyes.

"'Boom'"

An hour later…

Sakura sat at her table, sipping lightly on the hot coffee, already dressed in her afternoon wear.

Ino sat opposite her and asked seriously, "Are you sure you are ready for this?"

"…Yes,"

Ino nodded, pulling out several bills from her purse, "Here is two hundred dollars. Go, my child, into the mall!"

"Hai!" Sakura snatched the money, and after downing the scalding drink, slipped on flip flops and ran from the house.

The mall…

"Mou, Ino, you didn't give me enough," Sakura moaned, sifting through the crisp notes of money, "You know I need at least six hundred odd,"

She caught sight of a nice mid thigh length dress, strapless and decorated in hues of blues and purples, and pressed her face against the glass, drool escaping her mouth. Moving around the cylinder like showcase, she noticed the price check, but also the diamond shapes cut out of the back, with strings where the remaining cloth was.

When she caught sight of the six inch heeled knee boots that matched, she all but fainted on the spot.

"I want it…" she pouted, face still pressed tightly to the glass.

"…Sakura-chan?" a quiet voice asked behind her, and she jumped, her money flying from her hand, her back pressed to the glass as she span with the momentum of fright.

Hand over her heart she sighed, "Pein-kun," she nodded, kneeling to pick up her money, but the thick wad was already passed to her, by the orange haired male, "Why are you pressed against that store's window?"

Sakura remembered her fawning, and pointed at the outfit and shoes, "I want that dress and matching shoes, but I only have two hundred dollars,"

"How much is it…?"

"Six hundred and fifty-six," Sakura returned to pressing her face against the window.

There was sudden silence behind her, "Pein-kun?" she turned and noticed the lack of said person _did I imagine him?_ She thought, but heard a clattering in the window, and turning, saw a woman take the dress and shoes out.

Sakura shrugged, "You win some, and you lose some, I guess,"

"But this time, you win,"

"Wha…?" she turned to the door, and saw Pein holding a bag, the top of the dress peeking from the opening, "You didn't…"

He nodded. A simple action, but Sakura's face lit up like the sun.

"Yay!" she threw herself at him, the two of them falling to the ground as she happily hugged him, almost crushing his body, "You really got me it, yatta!"

She nuzzled happily into his neck, "Now I have something nice to wear to the club tonight!"

"Club…?"

"Yeah! Ino's dad owns this great club, and her mum is a supermodel, but now I can go and oh my god is that an ice cream store? Let's get ice cream, Pein-kun!" she jumped up, grabbed his hand and hauled him after her.

"Hey," she slowed down, hand still tightly clasped around Pein's "How come you have so much money?"

"I own a brand of expensive jewellery stores worldwide, like with Deidara's ring,"

"AWESOME!" Sakura screamed, pulling away, and twirling around in a circle, showing off what she was wearing to Pein.

Her afternoon clothes consisted of a miniskirt and a tube top that stopped about two to three inches under her breasts with the words, 'Kiss me if you dare' written in red and cursive, kiss marks printed underneath.

The scar was easily seen, but Sakura didn't seem to care, as she thought it looked like a tattoo, and in a freaky way, it did resemble the shape of a cherry blossom.

"Anyway…" Sakura trailed off, glomping Pein again, "ICE CREAM ICE CREAM ICE CREAM!"

Pein chuckled lightly, making Sakura stare at him in amazement, "He laughed! But I want vanilla, ok?"

"Am I ordering?" he asked suspiciously, and Sakura nodded a little dolefully, "I get scared easily of strangers." She admitted, pushing her toe in the ground. It was Pein's turn to refrain from jumping her on the spot.

"You find a table, and I'll get the food,"

Sakura nodded, and fell onto a table that was closest to the door, so she could see people walk by and do their shopping.

Before long a bowl filled with vanilla ice cream was set gently in front of her with a small, delicate looking spoon.

"It's the biggest sundae I have ever seen," she stared at the literal mountain, mouth watering subconsciously, "Is it all mine?"

Pein nodded, gesturing to his own, albeit smaller, bowl.

Sakura picked up the spoon, "Itadakimasu!" she shouted happily.

After five minutes of demolishing ice cream, Sakura settled forward on the table, a content smile on her face, completely oblivious of the smudge of vanilla on the upper left corner of her mouth.

Pein smirked to himself, and placed a finger under Sakura's chin, directing her face upwards, making her wide eyed in confusion, "Pein-k-" she was cut off as he kissed the corner where the ice cream was, gently licking it off, relishing in Sakura's shudder as his tongue piercing brushed her lip.

At her stunned look when he pulled away, he simply stated, "I dared to kiss you,"

Sakura blinked owlishly.

There was a tense silent, "THANK GOD THE SHIRT WORKED WHEN THERE WAS A HOT GUY ABOUT!" she yelled, jumping up happily, then suddenly blushing at her words, "Er, that is to say…got to go now, thank you so much for the dress and bye bye!"

Sakura's house…

_Smack! Smack! THUNK!_

Sakura fell out of the attic with a cloud of dust, "HOLY CRAP!" she screamed, running down the stairs, "THERE'S THIS GIGANTIC SPIDER IN THE LOFT!"

But then she realised there was nobody to scream with because Ino was out with her roommate TenTen.

She sat at the kitchen counter, covered in dust, and staring at the clock which seemed to mock her by going backwards.

Sakura suddenly sat up straight, clicking her fingers, "Why didn't I think of it? My art studio!"

She ran down the large house into her beloved art studio, and saw the door, suddenly lighting up more, and "My sound proofed studio!"

She entered it slowly, spinning around slowly to admire it. Ino had splashed out in these two rooms, seeing as every instrument imaginable decked the walls, and a recording room was situated to the side. A microphone was in the middle of the room.

She tapped it but sighed, and returned to her art studio.

In the front room three hours later…

Naruto and Gaara crept silently through the front door, seeing the suspicious pile of dust, and Naruto shuddered at the large spiderish like bug as it scurried through the open front door, sounding as if it were squeaking, "_Freedom!"_

Gaara sensed her chakra first, gesturing towards the back room, returning his hand immediately to the cut in his side, "Damn puppet," he hissed.

"Be glad Kankuro knew the poison," Naruto snapped at him, picking his way quietly through the house.

He opened the art studio door in a quick push, jumping back just in case something attacked him. Many ninja were masters of stealth when hiding chakra was involved. He motioned forward with a few fingers, and slipped in the room.

Eyes flitting around the room, he saw Sakura slumping on a stool, face mashed against a wet painting, fast asleep. The painting was large, almost as tall that Sakura may have had to reach on tiptoes to get to the top.

Naruto gently pulled her off the painting, her face sticking slightly to the paint, a dark orange marring her pale face.

Gaara took a look at the painting and sneered nastily at it.

Sakura had attempted to paint a portrait of Pein, obviously giving it her all, each stroke carefully defined, each square inch radiating it's own colour, and Naruto noticed this, scowling at it also. The rest of the room was covered with thick coverings, shielding them from prying eyes.

Sakura rolled in Naruto's grasp, eyes fluttering weakly, "I want my dango…" she said blearily, staggering from the grip of the blonde, and half blind making her way down the hallway, absentmindedly rubbing her hand on the orange paint stain that covered the entire right side of her face.

She made her way into the kitchen, and Naruto and Gaara each took a seat as she rummaged through the fridge.

Pulling out what she wanted, without looking where she was going, she sat down heavily on Gaara's lap.

Sakura methodically chewed the sweet, offering a stick each to Naruto and Gaara in turn, who politely declined.

When she finished the plate she stood, but before she reached the sink, she stopped, and the plate fell from limp fingers shattering against the tiled floor.

"How'd you get in my house?" she whispered, turning haunting eyes in their direction, "The doors and windows were locked, you don't have keys,"

"…"

"There's nothing to stop me screaming, or," she flipped out her phone, "Calling Deidara or the police,"

Then as Gaara went to stand, her eyes shot to his side where red was seeping from between his clenched fingers.

Sakura took a step backwards, bumping against the kitchen counter, eyes entirely focused on the wound.

"Who did that?" she asked, eyes suddenly flashing madly about the room, as she pushed herself against the counter, "_Who on earth hurt you?"_

She shivered nastily, phone clenched in white knuckles, "Is he here?!"

Naruto and Gaara shot each other a glance from the corner of their eyes.

Sakura was attempting to disappear into the wall, "_Is he here?!"_

The phone in her grasp cracked, and she dropped it to the floor, eyes still desperate, "Did he hurt you?"

"Nobody hurt me," Gaara smoothly lied, "It was an accident with a ragged fence down town,"

Sakura nodded, kneeling to pick up the remnants of her dango plate and phone, methodically picking them up one, by one.

"Ow…" she murmured quietly, a drop of blood appearing on her thumb. Gaara stood up quietly, kneeled behind her, grabbed the hand and placed the thumb in his mouth.

"…Can I have my hand back? I need it to wash my face,"

Gaara, albeit slowly, let go of her hand, and she pushed herself off the floor, one handed, as the other contained the shards of china and plastic.

Naruto still sitting bristled angrily, eyes darting to the front door, and soon enough there was a rap on the wood.

"Come in," Sakura called softly, and the person did. With the entire Akatsuki in tow.

"Hey, un," Deidara called, falling onto the couch, "Feeling better, un?"

Kisame made a bee line for the fridge, and Hidan asked, "Is that _orange_ smeared all over your face?"

Sakura suddenly turned beet red, eyes flickering to Pein, and in an instance she had darted down the corridor before anyone could register the look.

Naruto growled nastily and stood up, facing Pein, "What did you do to her?"

"I don't know what you mean,"

There was a crash from the back room, and a loud bout of swearing, "Oh shit, oh shit, OH SHIT!"

There was a sudden loud splat noise, and Sakura stomped out of the back room after slamming and locking the door, covered in every colour imaginable.

She twirled the keys, and smirked quite triumphantly, "Nobody is getting in the art studio without my permission,"

Sasori perked up along with Deidara, "Art Studio?!"

Someone slipped behind her, and Itachi pulled the keys from her grasp, "No! NO! You can't go in there!"

They ignored her as they opened the door, and all anyone could say, "My god…"

"It's horrible, it's disgusting, it's _not finished!"_ Sakura wailed, throwing her arms around in desperation.

"Wow," Tobi said, ambling over to a painting, "Tobi really likes your paintings!"

"When did you have time for this?" Kakuzu asked, standing in front of another painting.

"I do them quickly, _but don't look, they're absolutely hideous!"_

Spread about the art studio was paintings similar to Pein's. There was Itachi, Tobi, Zetsu, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu and Kisame. There was also Naruto grinning brightly from one wall, Gaara and Sasuke next to them, and Sakura had somehow reached the ceiling to do a large painting of herself and Ino, hugging each others shoulders.

Kankuro and Temari were giving the peace sign from another painting, and Tsunade had her arms crossed in yet another.

Sakura dropped to the floor, and pouted, crossing her arms and turning her head up and to the side.

"Sakura-chan? Did Tobi do wrong?" the masked boy asked, and Sakura turned her head away childishly from him.

"You all did wrong. The reason why I locked it was because I wanted it to be a surprise," she said softly.

Before anyone could turn to her, like a hare, she shot up, and ran into a neighbouring room, slamming it shut, the sound of key in lock clearly heard.

Zetsu was tempted to stick his head through the wall, but refrained from doing so, knowing it would only scare Sakura, and maybe provoke her in the wrong way.

A red sign above the door suddenly lit up, signalling, 'Recording'.

After five minutes, a sheet was passed under the door, with the bold letters, 'I WANT SUGAR,' printed on in her writing, and there was a giggle from behind the door, as Deidara's phone suddenly beeped with a message.

"It's from Sakura, un," he told no one, but Naruto started, "But she broke her phone!"

He read the message, and flicked his eyes to his watch.

"She's going clubbing in half an hour," he told the room, "And wants her new dress so she can get dressed in peace in her sanctuary, un,"

"What new dress?"

Pein seemed to shuffle a little nervously and disappeared from the room, returning from wherever he had gone to.

"This one," he said, holding up the bag.

The door opened, a pink blur shot out, and grabbed the bag, before retreating again, before, "Damn! I need a shower,"

Pouting angrily, the door slammed open and she stalked down the corridor to the bathroom, opening it, and shutting it in the face of those who found the need to follow her.

"If you need something to do," she called from behind the wood, "Go into my bedroom, and under the bed is a bag with a load of make up in it. Can you get it for me?"

"TOBI WILL!" the masked boy screamed, running down the hallway and into the bedroom, "WHOA!" he screeched again, and ran back out, mysteriously covered in blood.

"Sakura-chan?" he asked nervously at the door.

"Yeah?"

"Did you ever have two cats?"

"Uh-huh,"

"Well…" Tobi wrung his hands around nervously, "Tobi thinks they are dead in your bedroom,"

There was a squeak, and a crash that signalled Sakura falling in her haste to get out of the shower, and dressed only in a skimpy towel, ran into her bedroom, immediately looking away when she got there, hand over mouth.

"Mister did this," she declared, "My cats scratched me the other day, the day we moved in,"

She absentmindedly wiped a bloodstained foot on the side of her leg.

"I need another really warm shower," she declared marching down the corridor, before bending over double, and heaving her weak stomach, although nothing came up but a gagging noise.

She was left gasping for breath, before she straightened and walked back into the shower.

Ten minutes…

She came out of the bathroom dolled up to near perfection.

Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun, a cherry blossom clip keeping it in place, her lips cherry red, dark eyelashes framing her face and bright eyes.

The dress was V-neck, showing off a lot of her neck, and the boots were done up in a neat clip.

She twirled slowly and asked, obviously all thoughts of the bloody mess gone, "How do I look?"

"Er, yeah, I think I might have to leave, un, before I die of blood loss, yeah,"

Sakura giggled loudly, when there was a knock at the door, "Ino's here!" she cried happily, walking as fast as she could in heels into the kitchen, slinging a small shoulder bag onto her arm and hurrying to the door.

She opened it, a smile on her face, as she jumped forward to hug someone, "I'd appreciate it, if you let me go before I suffocate," I muffled voice that didn't belong to a girl spoke.

"SAS-JERK!" Sakura screamed, tottering backwards in her heels, "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for the dobe, and now I've found him, I'm leaving. Naruto, we're going,"

Naruto flipped him, "I'm going out into town with Sakura-chan, so no,"

"I couldn't care less of what she's doing; now come on, we're going,"

"_Why do you hate me so much?"_ Sakura asked him, horror plastered plainly on her face as she backed away from the door, and Sasuke frowned quite suddenly reaching a hand forward, "I didn't…"

"Don't touch me!" she yelped at him, her ankle twisting in the heels, as she crashed into Zetsu, "Don't come a step closer!"

There was a timid knock at the still open door, "Sakura-chan? Are you ready?"

Ino held undisguised curiosity in her eyes, at Sakura hanging off Zetsu, since the Akatsuki member was keeping her up, and Sasuke who was looking at her with confusion, attempting to reach out to her.

She put two and two together. Sakura's subconscious hates Sasuke because he broke her heart and left, so her body forces fear of the person onto her, as well as anger hate, and every other negative emotion.

Ino quickly side stepped Sasuke, giving him an ill disguised glare, before grabbing Sakura's arm and stating cheerfully, "My dad said we're allowed alcohol today!"

Sakura's face went through several stages, happiness, pain, fear, joy again, suspicion, "You won't spike the drink this time, will you?"

"Nope!"

"Good. Because you and me kissing. No, it doesn't work out that well,"

Naruto promptly fainted at that sentence, Kisame shot milk out of his nose as he choked on it, and Itachi murmured, "My inner eyesight…it burns!"

"Hey! Ino-bitch! When are you gonna be ready?"

"Be patient, Konan, it was my choice to bring you!" when she said this, she glared over Sakura's shoulder at Pein, who mockingly two finger saluted her.

"Hey, Sakura, un, which club you going to?" Deidara asked, walking out of the bathroom, suspiciously red tissue clenched in his fist.

"The new one that opened down town! The one that everyone goes to, but it's really hard to get in unless you have connections, you know, that one!"

"I know what she means," Sasori murmured, from his position of being perched on the kitchen counter, after fiddling in the draws and finding a camera, "I'm borrowing this," he said quietly, and going back to the back room.

"Where is he going?" Ino whispered in Sakura's ear, as she dragged the girl to the hummer limousine outside the bungalow that was drawing a lot of attention, "He found my art project," Sakura replied, getting pushed into the limo, "Well, everyone did, I'm guessing he wants photographic evidence,"

"Oh, anyway," Ino pushed Sakura over, sitting where the pinkette was seated before, "I'd like you to say hi to TenTen, Hinata, Temari, and Konan"

"Temari-chan!"

Sakura said gleefully, throwing herself at the woman, "Hi!"

Turning to Hinata, she visibly flinched.

"A-Ah, a-are you o-ok?"

"Sorry, your eyes look a lot like the Neji dudes who looked at me weird a few days ago,"

"Y-yes, I'm his c-cousin,"

"You have a stutter. Its über adorable, even though I'm using the wrong word for it, but über is an awesome word,"

She turned to Konan and exclaimed, "Another person with blue hair! Wow! And you have a really pretty flower in your hair!"

The finally turning to TenTen she said, "…HOW DO YOU GET YOUR HAIR IN SUCH NEAT BUNS?"

She bounced her own and pouted, when the limo came to a halt, "We here already?"

"No duh, you were staring at Konan for the better part of five minutes,"

"Wow, I'm really out of it today. Let's go get drunk!"

"You sound way to happy for someone that's about to get plastered,"

"Because this is my first time this year,"

"It's only the beginning of March,"

"Exactly. Think of it as an early Birthday present,"

"Shoot!" Ino cried, "Your eighteenth is _this_ month?"

"What a good friend you are," Sakura rolled her eyes, "But don't worry about money, I still have the two hundred from before! See you in a few hours!"

"Sakura! Come back here!"

But Sakura had already slipped through the doors of the bustling night club, flashing a card Ino had slipped into her hand in the limo.

Loud music was playing inside, and Sakura instantly spotted Inoichi sitting at the bar, sipping nonchalantly from a shot glass. She ambled over, and dropped into the seat next to him, "Hello, hello!" she said happily, "Ino said we're allowed to get drunk today,"

"Ah, yes, think of it as my early Birthday present to you," Inoichi turned to the hyperactive pink haired seventeen year old and asked, "What do you want?"

"Er…Vodka and coke!" Sakura said happily, reaching for her shoulder bag, but Inoichi stopped her, "I've told the barman that today if he sees a pink haired girl, she gets all her drinks free,"

"Really? You're the best, Inoichi-san!" she gave him a quick hug, and called the bartender over, "Vodka and coke, pretty please!" she cried happily, and the drink was set in front of her, "Yay!"

She placed it tentatively at her lips, sipped it daintily, and downed it one, "That is good vodka," she sighed happily.

"Quality standard," Inoichi smiled standing up, "Now I know you are here, I have to retire to the back rooms,"

Sakura placed the glass back on the side, and gestured the bartender over before spluttering, "Aren't you Zabuza from the other day?"

"Why, yes, yes I am, pinky,"

Sakura stuck out her bottom lip, "I'm Sakura,"

"Ok then. Pinky," Zabuza grinned as he poured her out another drink.

Sakura flicked a cigarette butt at him, ambling off with her drink alcohol held firmly in her right hand, as she moved to the table Ino had dominated when she found she couldn't stop the pinkette.

She was swirling ice cubes around her drink, when Sakura plopped down opposite her, "Zabuza called me pinky," Sakura growled, throwing back her second drink already.

"Sakura, please take into consideration you can't hold alcohol well…" Ino's warning was lost when the entire club went quiet, everybody facing the door.

Sakura clearly intoxicated was the first to break the silence, "Isn't this a club?" she slurred, standing with her glass, and moving over to the bar, across the suddenly empty floor, "I want another drink,"

It was quickly poured, she took a gulp, and sauntered back to the middle, "Who wants to dance?" she called out, spinning, and a random male took a step forward, and the crowd around the edges surged forward like a wave, as loud music started playing again.

The dancing was literally bumping and grinding against each other, commotion at the door forgotten, many favouring to dance with the literal Goddess dancing with reckless abandon, glee and happiness fuelling her actions in their midst.

After five minutes of fast paced dancing, everyone was back in the swing of things, and Sakura retreated to the bar, "Zabuza weirdo, can I has another drink?"

"Don't you think you've had enough?"

"Nope! I've only had two! I want a third!"

"If you say so,"

"SAKURA-CHAN!" someone shouted loudly across the room, causing silence again, as a hyperactive Naruto ran to the bar.

Sakura pouted, "You stopped the dancing again," she said glumly, as the drink was placed in front of her, "Oh, thanks,"

She took a mouthful and a voice asked, "Oh, is that alcohol?" and without bothering to ask, someone scooped up her glass and downed the rest of it.

"Hey," she pouted, turning to Kisame, "What'd you do that for?"

"It's alcohol. I love booze,"

"Well now you owe me…wanna dance?"

"If you say so,"

"Cool!" Sakura grabbed Kisame's hand, and dragged him into the middle, as music slowly started up again.

When they just stood there, staring at each other, Sakura caught both his hands and said, "You do it like this," and placed them on her waist, while she laced her arms around his neck, pushing up close to him, "See?"

Kisame thanked God that the room was so dark Sakura wouldn't notice his blush, and he didn't have to acknowledge the death glares from halfway across the room.

Sakura smiled, resting her head against Kisame's chest, swaying happily to the beat, eyes still wide open though, destroying any thoughts of being sleepy.

When the song finished, Sakura pushed away, gently but firmly, and sighed in relief, "That was one of the best dances of my seventeen year old life,"

She placed hands on hips, and with a big face splitting smile asked, "Whose next?"

Two hours and several dances later, Sakura collapsed back in front of Zabuza, "Can I get another…uh…can I have an absinthe?"

Zabuza looked up from his polishing of a glass, "You're only allowed one, and it has to be in a shot glass,"

"M'kay," Sakura waved a hand haphazardly in the air, catching her hair which she had pulled from her bun.

She caught sight of Itachi who was sipping coke, and an evil grin came over her face, as the small shot sized alcoholic drink was set in front of her.

Throwing it back in a mouthful, she strutted her way to Itachi, and swung onto his lap, evil smile still in place. He placed his coke on the counter, and opened is mouth to speak.

Grabbing his head, she pulled it down, placed her lips on his, and blew the drink into his mouth, making sure he swallowed.

An instant after the liquid passed down to his stomach, a predatory gleam came over his eyes, and slinging Sakura round, he slammed her into the counter of the bar. Her smile faltered a little, only wavering slightly but it didn't leave her face.

She was, after all, heavily intoxicated, and while Itachi normally wouldn't have felt the effects of alcohol, since he could use his chakra to force it out, Sakura had gotten to him suddenly, and he was feeling something.

Sakura suddenly froze when a nose was placed at her collar, heavy breath fanning across her bared skin.

"What's the matter, Sakura-chan?" he breathed against her neck, eyes looking at her face.

"Nothing, Itachi," she replied, smile unsure as it was still stuck on her face, turning slightly down at the corners, "Just a little uncomfortable, the counter is really hard,"

On the other side of the room, Sasori nudged the person closest to him with an elbow and murmured, "Itachi has low tolerance against alcohol. He's pinned someone against the bar,"

Tobi looked and squinted, before exclaiming, "He's got Sakura-chan! You can see her hair from here!"

There were several clinks as glasses were set down, several sets of keen eyes turning into said direction.

"We can't use the dancing as an excuse, everyone has been," Deidara murmured, frustrated.

"Nope! Hidan hasn't been!" Tobi chirped, pointing towards the Jashinist, who shook his head, "I don't dance," he spat out.

They all suddenly picked up Sakura's distressed voice with their sharp ears, "Itachi! My dress isn't supposed to go up that hi- where are you touching?!"

_SMASH!_

Hidan slammed his glass onto the table, effectively breaking it, "You so all fucking owe me for this,"

He stomped angrily over, threw Itachi away, hauled Sakura around by the waist and grunted, "We are dancing, no buts,"

"Ok," Sakura's voice was surprisingly weak, and Hidan stopped.

"What the fuck is the matter with you?"

"I nearly got molested, or sexually assaulted, at worse raped, and Itachi really reminds me of the man that murdered every single one of my relatives," she said quietly, staring at the floor, green eyes large and confused.

Hidan grunted again, before rolling his eyes, and hugging the scared pink haired girl. Instead of standing still, like he thought she would, she hugged back, crying into his chest.

"I-I was scared of him," she sobbed, clutching at the back of his shirt, "I've haven't been that terrified in over six years,"

Hidan snorted, and without meaning to retorted, "Well, aren't you a little fucking weak damsel in fucking distress,"

She shoved him away abruptly, gave him a hurt filled look, kicked him in the knee, and fled from the building, abandoning her shoes as she did so, bending down to unclasp them.

"Shit, that hurt," Hidan hissed, hand flitting to his knee, and then he said aloud, "Fuck. I think I'm in love," Yes, you never fail us, you little Jashin masochist.

End of Chapter...

Ok, I'm finished, I'm happy, criticism is accepted thankfully, flames...they _are_ good for roasting marshmallows I guess, and comments that are downright random keep me alive. See you round!


	4. Note

AUTHORS NOTE:

Okay, I already know that I take a long time updating, but there's a chance that time will be even longer now. I've been to the hospital, because I've been having pain my back. Turns out I have a condition called 'scoliosis' and I may have to have spine surgery to have rods inserted as my spine is at a dangerous curve that could damage my internal organs. I'm sorry if this will cause any inconvenience, but I just wish to focus on getting better. Before the surgery, I'll try and update with new chapters, but I'm sorry if I am unable to.

Thank you for your understanding.


End file.
